Into The Rabbit Hole
by ThisEuphoricLife
Summary: Just as life seems to finally be quieting down for the town of Storybrooke, a strange new girl arrives. Along with her comes a dangerous old enemy, who is rumored to be in possession of the most powerful weapon in all the realms. When more new people start to suddenly show up, it's clear there's evil brewing: and it's up to the town to come together and defeat it once and for all.
1. Chapter 1: A Birthday

**Chapter 1: A Birthday**

 **Flanders, Belgium; Two Days Ago**

Because of the searing summer heat, the streets of Flanders were less crowded than they should have been. The occasional car zipped by; bikers and pedestrians being few and far between. The fruit stands and flower sellers were exhausted, and the heat had clearly taken toll on their produce.

So it wasn't a surprise when nobody noticed a teenage girl sitting by herself on a park bench, soaking in the sunlight. Her golden hair glowed like an angel's halo, and even her pale skin seemed to be illuminated. Even in her simple blue and white frock, there was something beautiful about her that simply couldn't be ignored.

As she hummed contently, her fingers enclosed on her necklace. It had become habit by now; she didn't even need to think about the way her fingers closed in and out around the ruby-red pendant. To any passerby, she would have appeared perfectly normal; carefree and happy.

The one that passed by her, however, knew better than that. She walked behind the bench first, and the girl remained unaware of her presence. Not discouraged, she remained silent, trying to find a way to walk around the bench. This woman knew very well the surprise of seeing an unwelcome face from one's past unexpectedly, and here she hoped to see the look on her young prey's face.

She didn't need to, however, because the second she walked around, the girl gasped. "You!" She cried, her eyes wide. The woman grinned ear to ear, sitting down next to her.

"Yes, darling," She cooed, reaching over and stroking her cheek with one perfectly manicured finger. "It really is a pleasure to see your face again." She knew very well the effect she was having on the girl; she had made many unfortunate souls wither the way she appeared to be.

"You- you're not r-real…!" She stammered; her shaking hands trying to push the woman away. "You can't be! You died!"

"Did I?" The woman asked. Before her victim could reply, however, she took out a sachet of purple dust and blew it into her face. As quickly as the surprise had come, it was gone; and, losing all consciousness, she fell forward. The woman caught her barely before she hit the hard wooden bench, and, seeing her peaceful expression, chuckled to herself.

"I'm going to enjoy coming back," She whispered, the glee obvious. And then, in a vivid boysenberry-colored cloud, they were gone.

 **Storybrooke, Maine; Present Day**

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Henry, happy birthday to you!" Cheers could be heard from the dining room of the Storybrooke Mayor's house as the room ended their song. The birthday boy grinned, thanking everybody and eyeing the cake along with its blown out 1 and 6 candles.

"So Henry, how does it feel to finally be sixteen?" Doctor Hopper asked, shaking the boy's shoulders in a friendly manner.

"No different from when I was fifteen," he admitted, making several people laugh.

"Can we have the cake already?" Leroy's gruff voice called out. This emitted some more laughter, along with murmurs of agreement. Opening presents and going around receiving well wishes had taken long enough, and even though the dinner Snow and Charming had cooked was delicious, guests were starting to get hungry.

As Mary Margaret chuckled and began cutting the layered chocolate cake, Regina made her way towards Emma. "It's nice to see him growing up like this, isn't it?" She asked, her voice soft. Emma tilted her head so she was looking into the other woman's eyes, and nodded.

"I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees what we got him." Since it was Henry's sixteenth birthday, both his mothers had decided to pool and buy him the present every sixteen year old wished for: a car. He hadn't been able to see it yet; they had agreed to wait until the party was over.

"Mom, you should try some cake," Henry himself appeared next to Emma, holding a plate of chocolate cake in either hand. "It's delicious."

"Why, thank you, young man!" Granny, the woman who had baked it, exclaimed, playfully ruffling his hair. They then began to converse, leaving Emma to finish the cake by herself. As she ate the last of it, she realized two things:

The first being that their life in Storybrooke had, one way or another, settled down and, save for the fact that everybody in town had Enchanted Forest personas, they were fairly normal; and the second being that her son would grow taller than her anyday now. Her eyes glazed over, and she found herself staring off into his direction.

"Nice party, huh?" Emma's thoughts were interrupted by Mary Margaret, who had made her way over to the corner and was resting her chin on her daughter's shoulder. Emma simply nodded. "Henry looks happy," Mary Margaret added, motioning towards the laughing boy.

"Yes, he does." Emma agreed. She paused, and then said softly, "He is happy. We all are."

"Indeed," David agreed, standing next to his wife, picking at his chocolate cake. "Now tell us: What did you and Regina get for the kid?"

Emma grinned to herself. She hadn't told anybody except for Hook of her plans to buy her son a car. The residents of Storybrooke weren't exactly good with secrets. "You'll just have to wait and see," she replied breezily, and made her way to chat with Ruby and Whale, who, like everybody else at the party, looked like they were enjoying themselves tremendously.

And so the night went on, with Henry making his way around the room full of people, telling each and every one how grateful he was to be able to celebrate his birthday with them and for the gifts they brought him. Only when the last guest had walked out Regina's oak doors did either of his mothers mention their joint present.

"So, Henry," Emma began, exchanging a quick glance with Hook as she walked over to her son, "Me and Regina decided it was a good idea to give you a… collective present."

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking from Emma to Regina. Hope and curiosity glinted in his warm brown eyes.

"You'll see." Regina replied, taking him by the shoulders and leading him towards the doors. "It was a little big, so we've kept it in the back driveway."

The minute he heard that, the boy smiled. He was surprised he hadn't guessed it earlier: it was so like his mothers to get him his car the moment he was old enough to learn to drive. "Thank you!" He exclaimed, opening the door and sprinting out.

Mary Margaret, David, and Robin seemed to realize what it was too, for the second he was out they began jokingly complaining about how their gift overshadowed any of the ones that were brought to the party.

The night was beautiful; speckled with sparkling stars and the passing cool breeze. Henry couldn't help but feel peaceful as he walked around his mother's mansion to get to the back driveway.

As he passed her storehouse, which was an extension to the garage, he thought he heard something. He dismissed it; thinking it must have been a rat. When he heard it again, however, he decided to call out: "Hello?" His voice was more intrigued than frightened. The storehouse door rattled again, and Henry realized there was something inside of it.

His heart began hammering as he made his way towards it. "Please stand back," He instructed, and picked up the plank of wood his mother sometimes used to break in when the locks didn't work. He positioned it in the crack between the two doors, and, taking a deep breath, pushed his body weight against it. Nothing budged. After two more thrusts, the doors gave way and opened.

Suddenly, somebody fell forward. Henry was barely able to catch her, and, confused, looked from her to the darkness of the storehouse she was in. _It surely couldn't be that his mother was keeping her here… So who was she?_

"Help me," She rasped, reminding him that he was now responsible for her safety. "Please, help me…"

Henry was about to reply with a promise that he would, when he heard his mother call out. "Henry!" Emma was pointing a gun towards the storehouse.

"Put it down, mom! It's alright!" He yelled back, and Regina ran towards her son, followed closely by David and Mary Margaret.

"Who is she?" Regina stared at the now unconscious girl.

"I dunno," Henry replied, his heart still racing. "I just found her in here."

"Look, right now, it's more important to make sure she's safe," David said, and quite easily picked her up. As he carried her into the house, followed by his wife, Emma, Hook, Robin, and Regina, Henry couldn't help but realize that he'd never seen the girl before, yet she somehow seemed familiar.

Perhaps it was her blue dress, which was pretty badly ripped; or her bright blue eyes. Or, maybe, it was her hair; so blonde that it looked like an angel's halo. At any rate, as he walked inside, Henry couldn't shake off the feeling that he knew her from somewhere.


	2. Chapter 2: Questions

**Chapter 2: Questions**

The giddy feeling of Henry's birthday party still lingered in the house, but it was beginning to be drowned by the impending confusion and anxiety that was written over everybody's face. As Regina watched David place the girl upon her couch, and Mary Margaret scuttle to find her a blanket to keep her warm. The girl was beginning to come around, her eyelids fluttering as a disturbed expression remained plastered onto her face.

"I'm sure we could wake her using magic-" Regina began, but was cut off by Emma's skeptical look. For a moment the former queen was thrown off, because not only did she see doubt; she saw something else. Regret.

She made a mental note to talk about it with her later, but for now, her attention was focused on the girl on her couch, who was now fully awake. She heard the front door lock, and turned her head for a moment to see her son enter. Regina gave him a nod, and cleared some space for him to stand.

"Perhaps we shouldn't crowd around her like that," Mary Margaret said softly. "It might come off a little… threatening." Regina used every effort she could to not roll her eyes. Even though she had come to tolerate Snow, there were still moments that the other woman got on her nerves.

Apparently, however, Emma too seemed to agree. "She's right." She put her hands on her hips, and stepped back. "If we want any answers from her, we're going to have to be delicate." Her facial expression remained serious as her eyes went from the girl, who was sitting on the sofa with wide eyes, to the rest of the people in the room.

"Alright love, let's go then." Killian whirled around on his heel and began walking towards the kitchen.

"Go?" Regina cocked her head, watching as Emma followed the captain silently.

"If we want a 'delicate conversation,' as Emma here puts it, it's best we leave it to these three, isn't it?" Hook raised an eyebrow, and his tone indicated the same arrogance that surrounded him everywhere he went. _It's a wonder Emma puts up with him,_ Regina marveled, as she too walked into her kitchen. Henry followed her, and took a seat on the table.

"Isn't this exciting?" He asked, his eyes sparkling. Emma took a seat across from him, a wary expression on her face.

"Well, exciting is one way to put it." Her voice sounded strained.

"Henry, why don't you and Hook here work on making some hot chocolate for our guest?" Regina asked. Her son looked up at her, confused, before shrugging his shoulders and walking over to the stove area. Killian, on the other hand, hung around.

"Is there something super secret you two are going to talk about that we can't possibly hear?" He teased, making both the women look up at him with annoyed expressions. Upon seeing their faces, he threw his hands up in mock surrender and chuckled, "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll work on the drinks."

"So, what is it?" Emma asked, her elbows on the table. "Do you recognize the girl?" She paused for a second, before adding, "Or know how to get rid of her?"

Regina sighed, her eyes darting past Emma's and focusing on the painting behind her. "Is that what this is all about?" She tried not to sound exasperated as she asked the question.

"What what is about?" Emma sounded as though she was trying to come off as confused.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. All of this- suspicion. This weariness. And for what? She's just a girl, for goodness sake, and you're the savior. You have nothing to fear." When she looked into Emma's eyes, she didn't see all the regret gone, as she had expected to. Instead, she saw it multiply.

"Maybe not with her." Emma's jaw squared, as she sighed and stared down at her hands. "But you saw the state she was in. Something tells me she didn't do that to herself, and whatever- whoever- did that to her… They're still out there." Regina remained quiet, allowing her to continue. "And I can't help but feel a bit sorry. You know, our life here before she came was perfect. I mean sure, there were obstacles, but those were small things you would expect in this land. It seemed like everybody was getting along. There were no dangerous monsters to slay, or- or evil hags to take down. You know, for once, I felt like we were finally settling in, and that I was finally safe to live out my life like a normal human being." By now, Emma was standing up, her hands flourishing to describe her frustration.

Regina, on the other hand, sat cross-legged, the embodiment of calm and poise. "Are you finally finished with your little drama show, Swan?" She sounded as sarcastic as she looked sincere. Emma sighed, her posture relaxing.

"Yeah." She took another deep breath before adding, "I suppose we were never normal to begin with. I'm going to go see how Henry and Hook are coming along." Regina got up too, and, as the two walked towards the stove, she said softly,

"You're the savior, Emma. That was no accident." Emma simply nodded, wondering how Mary Margaret, David, and Robin were getting along with their interrogation. As far as she was concerned, the faster this girl exited their lives, the faster they would go back to living the way they used to.

 **Enchanted Kingdom; Past**

"Faster, Daddy, faster!" The little girl cried, as her father spun her around on her shoulders. "Higher!" Her small arms reached for the clouds that dotted the baby blue sky above them.

"Your highness!" A voice caused both father and daughter to snap out of their laughter. As he slid her off his shoulders, her father turned to look at the page who had come up to them.

"What is it, Gerald?" He asked, his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

Gerald cleared his throat, before saying quietly, "You may want to come see this yourself, Prince Joseph." His eyes darted nervously to the little girl by his side. "And perhaps it would be better if the young princess were to stay here."

Prince Joseph looked confused, but knelt down on one knee and said, quietly, "My darling, I must go attend to some matters. You stay right here, alright? I'll be back before you know it."

The girl smiled, and watched her father walk away. Prince Joseph looked back and saw his daughter waving, and he couldn't help but notice how much like her mother she was beginning to look; bright blue eyes, blonde curls, and all.

 **Storybrooke, Maine; Present Day**

"I- I'm sorry, I don't know how to help you." The girl shook her head. She was still trembling nervously. Mary Margaret gently took one of her cold hands in two of her own warm ones, and said softly,

"You don't have to. We're trying to help you. Please, anything about yourself: your name, where you're from, how old you are… anything." Her voice was calming, and for a second the girl stopped shaking altogether.

Then she resumed, but she did purse her lips and begin to say something quietly.

"Please speak up." Robin, who was sitting along with David on the sofa opposite, stretched his legs, eyes on her.

"Alright…" Her voice sounded louder as she continued, "You can call me A- Lucy is fine. I- I think I'm around sixteen years old." She paused for a second, before explaining: "It's been a while, and it's hard to tell."

The three nodded as if they understood, when in reality they hadn't the slightest what she was talking about. She continued, seeming to have gained some sense of security. "I'm from… a lot of places. I was in Belgium at a private boarding school before-" Suddenly she couldn't speak any more. Her lips refused to move, and her shoulders tensed up. It was almost as if somebody had put an invisible gag on her.

"Before?" David stood up and walked over to Mary Margaret and Clara, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders reassuringly.

She merely shook her head. "I cannot say," She managed to whisper.

David exchanged a look with his wife, and her expression was one he managed to read. As he was, Mary Margaret was wondering if magic was at play here. And worse: that if it was, who could have conjured it.

The girl paled again, and her eyes began to lose their focus. "Stay with us," Mary Margaret pleaded, gently squeezing her wrists. She looked at Mary Margaret for a second before her eyes closed, and she fell back on the couch.

All three of them tried to suppress their disappointment. "Just give her time," Snow tried to sound optimistic, but even she couldn't hide the fact that they had gotten nowhere with this girl.

"I'll go tell the others she's out again." Robin nodded, and headed towards the kitchen. He came upon Henry giving Hook a lesson on how to make the best hot chocolate, and Hook trying to eat an entire spoonful of cinnamon without gagging.

"Robin!" He cried, his face lighting up as the other man walked in. In front of him was the spoon, a heapful of cinnamon present. "Look at this! It's called the cinnamon challenge, or something!"

Robin's facial expression was unamused. "I tried to warn him-" Henry began, but he cut him off with a hand gesture.

"Killian, put the cinnamon down." He then turned to Emma and Regina, who were conversing at the kitchen island table. "I've come to tell you that our first questioning session wasn't exactly a success."

"She won't talk?" Emma asked, immediately standing up.

"Not- not exactly." Robin began, but was cut off by David, who ran into the room with a sense of urgency.

"What is it?" Henry asked, putting down the mugs in his hand. David glanced quickly at Regina before saying, very quietly,

"It's her. She spoke."

"She's awake?" Robin sounded genuinely confused as he passed David, making his way into the living room. The prince merely shook his head.

They got to the couch, and could see that she was still unconscious. Her body was entirely still, except for her mouth. She appeared to be talking. "She… she's coming back." The girl spoke as if she was in a trance.

"Who?" Regina asked, noting the fact that whoever it was could probably use magic, after what she had done to this girl. When she didn't reply, the queen raised her voice and asked again. "Who?!"

"Cora." Was the almost-silent reply. "Your mother missed you, Regina.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading! If you could write a quick review, that would be absolutely fabulous. Chapter 3 should be up soon!


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